Citronella candles are an effective way to keep mosquitoes away, but the quality makes can be pricey, and don't last as long as most people would like. Make your own for some potent and long-lasting protection.

The Design*Sponge blog's project is simple and a great way to recycle old candles and get some more life out of them. For the project you'll need candle wax, citronella oil, a wick, and a container.

[I] didn't realize this until recently but citronella candles are just regular old candles scented with citronella oil, which is available at health food stores and even some specialty hardware stores (like [Ace] or [OSH] for example). [F]or much less money, you can make an entire arsenal of citronella candles to keep those evil pests at bay. [T]his is a great recycle project because you can use old tins and jars [from] your pantry (big tomato tins would make great long-burning mega candles).

In addition to the basic supplies, you'll need a pot and a stove to create a makeshift double boiler to liquefy your wax. For a little under an hour of effort, you'll be able to crank out more than enough candles to blanket your deck with mosquito repelling candles. If you've messed around with making your own candles, bug-repelling or otherwise, let's hear about it in the comments below.